Up and Down: Wizarding Gossip
by WritetoRight4ever
Summary: In the aftermath of the Death Eaters' terrible raid on Snape's family, his wife Eliza is a few months pregnant with their second child. Andromeda and Molly join with their grandchildren playing with two-year old Septimus. Just a sweet and short conversation between the three women and with a slight hint of husband gossip. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

Eliza held her umbrella out behind her, catching the refreshing spring breeze without the use of magic. It had been the first comfortable week the Snape family had in a while. What better day to spend it than with friends? Eliza smiled at little Septimus and his best friend Teddy hopping about the rugged countryside and laughing joyfully. They jumped on each other's back and played leapfrog, a game they witnessed the muggle children playing. Their clothes were beginning to stain with dirt, much to Eliza's dismay.

Nevertheless, Eliza had never seen Septimus this happy in months. Those endless, horrible days that followed the attack on her family by Death Eater Thorfinn Rowle had faded away. The rocky relationship between Septimus and his father was renewed. She couldn't bear to recall the nights Septimus would wake up crying, begging for his mama to hold him. Severus couldn't walk into the room when that happened; Septimus was afraid he would transform into "the bad man" again.

Eliza was four months pregnant with her and Severus's second child. The baby gave a kick to her naval, making its mother gasp. She placed a hand on her stomach and massaged it.

"It's okay, baby… Mama's here." Eliza reassured her little angel. The baby gave a responding nudge with her growing feet. Eliza was sure it was a girl this time. She remembered Severus smiling when she shared that thought with him. It'd be easier to love a daughter, taken after her mother's good looks and sweet personality.

It was difficult at first, being a new father all of the sudden when Severus had expressed his discomfort at having a child. He didn't want one but children were among her biggest wishes in life. Of course, with practice and plenty of encouragement from her, Severus's fears were behind him. Sadly, Septimus had already become more attached to his mother after the uncertain start to Severus's fatherhood.

By the time their daughter would be born, any trace of angst or reluctance from Severus would already be long gone. He had a family at last and he'd be the very best husband and father he possibly can. He promised his wife that.

"Mama, could you make those lights again?" Septimus turned around and asked in his sweet, innocent voice.

"Of course, darling," Eliza smiled and whipped out her wand while luminous, blue lights casted from the tip and formed into the shape of dolphins. The figures swirled all around Septimus and Teddy both of whom were laughing and trying to reach out and catch the lights with their small hands. The dolphins twirled before shooting off in the northern direction. Teddy decided to pursue them.

"Come on, Seppy!" The turquoise-haired boy beckoned his friend. "I'll beat you! Hop, hop!" The boy began hopping towards the lights like a rabbit. Septimus laughed and hopped after him, accepting the challenge. The spitting image of Severus quickened his pace to keep up with Teddy, enough for his little feet to have a hard time keeping up.

"He-he! Hop! Hop! Hop! Ho – oof!" Without warning, Septimus fell forward on his stomach, knocking the breath from his body. Eliza's eyes widened and she gasped at the sad sight.

"Oh! Septimus, sweetheart, what a fall! Come here…" Eliza crouched down and beckoned her son to walk over and sit on her lap. Septimus stood up and clutched his stomach in pain, tears making their way down his little face.

"Mama…" he groaned and took a seat on his mother's lap.

"Oh, my angel… was it right here, honey?" Eliza soothed and massaged his tummy. Septimus rested his head on mama's shoulder and traced along her pregnant stomach with his hand, nodding.

"Darling, you have to be more careful." Eliza gently advised, smooching his little temple.

Teddy walked over and patted his friend's shoulder in reassurance. "Mrs. Snape, I think I got hurt too." He complained innocently as well.

"Where, honey?" Eliza reached out to Teddy and beckoned him closer.

"Teddy isn't hurt! He just wants a hug!" Septimus laughed, sniffling.

Teddy blushed in embarrassment. He had his grandmother Andromeda and stayed with the Potters and Weasleys often. Yet, the space for a mother's love was vacant since his own mother, Nymphadora Tonks had died during the Battle of Hogwarts, slew by her own aunt Bellatrix and avenged by Molly Weasley herself. Molly had done her best to act as a mother figure to Teddy just as she had done for Harry. The same applied to Eliza.

"Oh, honey, of course you can have a hug! You don't even have to ask!" Eliza chuckled and pulled him in for a hug, kissing his forehead like her own son. The dolphin figures suddenly glided back and began circling around Septimus's head for attention.

"They're waiting for you, boys. Go on," Eliza kissed them both and released them. Septimus and Teddy laughed and pursued the dolphins again before struggling to stand herself; the baby was truly having a kicking episode today.

"Up and down. Up and down; now why can't our lives ever be that way?" Andromeda, with her curly brown hair and aging beauty features of the Black family, suddenly appeared at Eliza's side to help her up by the arm.

"Andromeda! It's just too far a fall. I thought you'd be staying behind." Eliza was delighted but surprised to see her.

"Oh, I have until another guest appeared. I suppose that would be telling more to get out more for the same of my old bones." Andromeda chuckled and looked past to Eliza's other side, for Molly Weasley had appeared, clutching her granddaughter's hand.

"Yes, my oldest child's oldest child couldn't stop prompting me to join her little friends." Molly smiled and looked down at the little spitting image of Fleur Weasley, Victoire. The little girl could hardly contain her excitement to join the boys.

"Of course! Victoire, they are right over – Septimus!" Eliza's eyes widened at her son attempting to mount himself on a sudden broomstick the figures had shaped themselves into. Eliza hurried over to the boys, scolding them on the way. Victoire followed her.

"But I can do it, mama!" Septimus exclaimed excitedly.

"Absolutely not!" Eliza shook her head and hurried to help him off.

"You know you can't ride well, Seppy. You could get hurt." Victoire nagged.

"Thank you, Victoire. You heard your friend, Septimus. And I'm sure Teddy would agree too." Eliza finalized. Sighing, Septimus gave in and lifted his leg over to the ground when he slipped. Teddy reached over and caught his friend in time, wrapping his arms across Septimus's chest.

"See! I told you!" Victoire laughed.

Andromeda and Molly caught up to them and laughed.

"The children are in obvious need of entertainment. Why don't we levitate them, Eliza?" Molly suggested with a grin. It was Fred and George's favorite activity when they were children. At once, all three children perked up like a dog receiving a treat.

"YAY!" they exclaimed and jumped around at their parent's feet.

"Oh, why not?" Eliza chuckled and stepped back to align herself with the two ladies. Teddy, Septimus, and Victoire did the same across from them. The three women pulled out their wands and pointed them at their children.

"Is everybody ready?" Andromeda asked. The three children nodded quickly, unable to contain their excitement. The women slowly elevated their wands, lifting the children off the ground and hoisting them into the air. Septimus and his friends laughed joyfully and made a series of flips in midair to show off. While the children entertained themselves, Molly sparked conversation with the other adults.

"So how's the little munchkin doing, Eliza?" Molly pressed eagerly.

"Oh aside from trying to impress Teddy, Septimus is—"

"No, I mean the other little munchkin." Molly pointed to Eliza's outstretched stomach with her free hand.

"Oh, um, alright. She's been growing every day, beginning to kick actually quite often. But…" Eliza trailed off and massaged her stomach at the baby's kick again.

"But what, dear?" Andromeda turned her head to her.

"Even after the attack, I've been having nightmares about Voldemort. I know he's gone for good but I'm still so shaken. I wake up screaming and crying in the middle of the night and Severus has to hold me until I've calmed down." Eliza explained with a tremor. She felt her green eyes water at the thought.

"Oh, Eliza dear, they could just be memories to rid of the attack, you know. I've had those after dear Fred died…" Molly shook her head solemnly and felt her eyes water as well.

"Dear ladies… we all have lost our loved ones during the war. But at least we can happily look upon our next generation and watch them grow." Andromeda consoled them and smiled while watching the children enjoy themselves. Teddy was pretending to lay back with his hands behind his head when Septimus playfully jumped on him, making Victoire laugh. She adjusted her wand so Teddy wasn't leaning sideways towards Septimus.

"Eliza, earlier you said "she". How do you know it's a girl already?" Molly asked curiously.

"I just know," Eliza said with a giggling grin. "I knew Septimus was going to be boy. It's just an instinct. Severus is thrilled to have a baby girl. He's hoping she'll look like me."

"It only took me six boys to finally birth a girl." Molly laughed.

"It only took me none." Andromeda winked.

"You know Eliza, who knew Severus had a soft side to him? Even I noticed that before Dumbledore died," Molly winked and leaned in, for this was turning into a more adult conversation.

"Oh, are you surprised we didn't have more children?" Eliza giggled and blushed, making sure the children didn't overhear their conversation.

"How do you think Arthur and I manage to have seven children?" Molly laughed as did the rest of the women.

"Oh Merlin, my Edward used to brew an arousal potion for our anniversary every year. Nymphadora was born nine months from that day." Andromeda chuckled.

"Does Severus ever use his wand?" Molly flushed.

"Oh, no. His other "wand" is so much bigger," Eliza responded. The three women were on the verge of tears from laughing so hard. "He does have a fetish for my bum. But he does demand to be domineering."

"Is that not surprising?" Molly pointed out humorously. The women giggled until their sides were sore.

"Oh, and Andromeda, I didn't thank you months ago for watching Septimus while Severus and I had our little fun. It's probably the best we've ever had." Eliza thanked, giving her stomach another little, comforting rub.

"Where was it?" Andromeda asked.

"On his desk, in the library. I had never felt so loved by him before." Eliza sighed blissfully.

"MAMA!" Septimus bellowed wildly. Eliza's eye widened with the worry that they had overheard their adult conversation. But Septimus was dangling upside down, his shirt hanging over his head and exposing his belly.

"Oh! I'm sorry, honey!" Eliza hurried her wand to flip her son upright and set him slowly on the ground. Andromeda and Molly did the same with their grandchildren.

Septimus sat on his bottom, his wavy black hair sticking up in strands.

"Your hair looks funny, Seppy!" Victoire gave a laugh and pointed to his hair.

"Victoire! We don't make fun of our friends!" Molly scolded her granddaughter.

"It's quite alright, Molly-dear," Eliza soothed with a giggle and held out her arms for Septimus to take. "Come, honey. Let mama fix your hair."

She patted his hair down and hugged her son before Septimus hurried back to his friends.

"I think we're about ready to head back. Are you children hungry?" Andromeda put away her wand and asked them.

None of the children were paying attention to her. All three were seated closely together and laughing as Teddy changed his nose to a pig snout using the metamorphic abilities inherited from his mother. Septimus found it most hilarious because he fell back against the ground, his face reddening from the laughter.

"Mama! Look at Teddy!" Septimus pointed to his best friend, his face still smiling bright.

"I see that, love. Looks like Teddy will grow up to be a wonderful wizard," Eliza chuckled and smiled down at Teddy, who was now changing his hair back to a light turquoise color.

"Let's go to Miss Dromeda's house, Septimus. We're gonna eat there."

The three children got up and went over to latch onto their maternal figures' skirts before disapparating with them.


	2. Chapter 2

They Apparated into Andromeda's home. It was a modest-looking place, with over cleanliness and a feeling of welcome. Septimus crawled into his mother's arms and rested his little head on her shoulder, sucking his thumb. Not a day went by when we wasn't attached to his beloved mother like this. Teddy yawned and clutched onto his grandmother's hand. Victoire was rubbing her eyes as Molly massaged her head full of blonde hair that she inherited from Fleur.  
"Looks like the children are worn out after all that running around." Molly chuckled humorously. As a boy of six boys, she knew exactly how to wear out their rambunctious personalities, especially Fred and George.  
"Funny, I'm just jumping with energy!" Eliza said enthusiastically, rocking her son side to side and making cooing noises to his face. Septimus laughed tiredly through his little fist in his mouth.  
"I can watch the children while you two "enjoy" your husbands' company?" Andromeda gave the women a wink.  
Molly and Eliza protested; Andromeda was sadly widowed and she couldn't burdened this middle-aged woman with three children.  
"I insist! And Eliza, do you really think I'd pass up a conversation involving you snogging Severus Snape?" Andromeda joked like her daughter, Tonks used to.  
Eliza blushed and let out a roar of laughter, waking Septimus momentarily but she quickly rocked him to sleep again.  
"If you really do insist. And Molly, when was the last time you and Arthur had lovely alone time together?" Eliza turned to Molly, who was setting her granddaughter on the couch next to her.  
"Ah, indeed. No doubt he's prepared a marvelous dinner for me using that new muggle stove he bought with muggle money. You believe him?" Molly sighed and rolled her eyes. She loved her husband, but he was indeed a nut when it came to muggle contraptions.  
"Thank you again, Andromeda," Eliza said, gazing softly at the turquoise-haired boy tugging at his grandmother's hand and yawning again,slipping into sleep. "You know Septimus will always be a friend to little Teddy."


End file.
